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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · craft · last · bound · present · bass · ball · current

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. current — electric
  4. last — finally
  5. bound — certain
  6. last — final
  7. craft — boats
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. ball — a dance
  11. present — there
  12. bass — low music
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cue — a signal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. current — happening now
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bound — tied together
  19. current — of water
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com